The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-05
SURPRISING GERMAN ARTISTS.
How Mile. Leistnger Was Kissed from
the Partisan Stage.


From a Paris Letter.
have lnentioned another great scandal.
This was the outrage perpetrated on Mile.
Leisinger. the plima donna. The young
lady came here from Berlin, and is, of
course. a German The magnates of the
opera were charmed with her when she APP
peared in rehearsal. Sine was TO sing at her
debut the loading role in Faust. Accord
ing lyM Gounod was called in to hear hen
rehearse. The illustriOus composer was IN
ecStaSieS. vs., p. -.
"She does not assume Marguerite" he
cried; 'she Is AIalgIeritel" And he said
this as enthusiastically rs Wagner Is said to
have cried: ~ have found my Brunhllde!"
when he first heard Frau Materna sing that
part. Nor was NJ. GomOd content with
this single word Of praise HI went on to
an elaborate review of Mile. LeislnSer,
pointing out, detail by detail, her superiority
to every other Marguerite, even to Albanl
and Nilsson. His approval was given To
her voice, to her manner, TO her dramatic
action and to her personal appearance; And
all the critics and the company at the re-
hearsal fully agreed with him.
Well, the night came The opera was
crowded. The opening scene went OH
smoothly Then Marguerite came on. The
audience saw in Mile Leisinger certainly
one of the most beautiful and graceful per
sons ever on the opera stage. Her acting
was perfect, and when she began to sing
every one was bewildered. No one had
dreamed that any woman save only Patti
could sing like that. Therefore, you say,
her debut was a splendid success. All, no!
for this is what happened: Scarcely had
the first shower of golden notes fallen from
her lips when there arose from all parts OF
the house sounds of dissent and disap-
proval. There were murmurs, groans,
Kisses, laughter whistling, catcalls Even
opprobriouse pthets were shouted. Some
vile names were called, such rs one hears
when two drunken drabS are fighting i'll the
Quarter Breda The prma donna was
thunderstruck. So were the rest of the
company, the conductor and a large part of
the audience. For moment the perform
ance halted altogether Then the conduc-
tor waved his baton, the singer took a reso-
lutte step forward, and the opera went on.
Through my lorgnon | could see that she
was deadly pale. There were tears in her
eyes. She trembled like feather in a gale
But she was determined Her fists were
clinched, and | could see blood-drops on her
lips where she had bitten them through.
So the work went on. She sang bravely
through But the orgy of disturbance
went on to the end, too. Down with the
German wench' they cried "Send her
back TO the cabbage-feds" 1t was impossi-
BILE for her to sing or act well under such
circumstances and so the curtain fell on a
decisive failure Mile. Lesinger's contract
was cancelled and she returned to Berlin
the next day.
1t was evident that the opposition to her
had been been organized beforehand. The
plan was to drive her off the stage simply
because she was German, regardless of how
she acquitted herself as an artist. But the
work was not done by a professional claque.
The well-known institution is paid to APP
plaud but seldom TO hiss Indeed, | have
never known il to be engaged for the latter
purpose excepting on one occasion-that
when Miss Van Zandt was hooted at. That
was done by the professional claque under
the pay of certain musical critics who were
angry with Miss Van Zardt because she
would not submit to blackmail and pay
them to praise her But that job was so
disgraceful as to disgust even the profession
al claquers. Their chief and director told
me afterwards that he never would under
take such work again. SO l am sure they
had nothing t9f 80 with the demonstration
against Nile. Leisinger. Who, then, were
the offendsrsl I.recognized among the lead
ers several of M. Paul Deroulede's friends
bright and shining lights in the Patriotic
League Was it possible that that great
political machine had taken up such dirty
JDDS Us I1lS9 Ohc VI ITO ICS
Presidents made no secret of it next day.
In fact, he boosted of it.
eve stopped the Lohengrin business after
one performance" he said, land we have
succeeded equally with Mile. Leisinger
We will similarly deal with all importations
from Berlin
"Were, Them / asked, ''all those who
raised the row members of your leagusH
By no means" he said, only about
dozen Of them, who acted as leaders. The
otner 100 or 800 were outsiders, merely hired
for the occasion We bought their tickets
for them, gave them 3f, apiece and prom
ised them, in case they did their work to our
liking, unlimited beer and brandy for the
rest of the night
"And the money for this purpose where
did it come fromp' inquired.
"Out of the funds of the league, of
course, was the reply. why mott How
can patriots money be better spent than
in driving out our enemies and humbling
their PRIDE"